138 BENEFITS AND DANGERS OF THE POTATOE. 



(537.) When extracted, the starch may be employed 

 for fattening cattle, when mixed with other substances ; 

 and, indeed, may be used for human food, when associated 

 with skim-milk or cheese, to supply the deficient nitrogen- 

 ized portions. The starch from the most offensive potatoe 

 will make good puddings, or it may be mixed with flour 

 for bread. 



(538.) This starch might also be converted into dextrine 

 for the purposes of the arts, and might be made into sugar 

 for the production of spirits. 



(539.) Upon the whole it is most desirable that the 

 starch should be extracted from the diseased tubers, and 

 used for the purposes of the arts, where it could not possi- 

 bly commit any damage ; whereas the use of diseased 

 potatoes for human food, for bread, or for milch cows, 

 should be strictly forbidden. 



CHAPTER XXV. 



THE BENEFITS AND THE DANGERS OF THE POTATOfi. 



Value of the potatoe (540). Culture (541)- Nutritive power (542, 

 543). Exclusive potatoe culture, moral effects (544); physical 

 effects, the Irish (546, 547). Dangers of (548). 



(540.) THE potatoe plant affords, for the labor and space 

 required for its cultivation, more alimentary matter than 

 any other plant whatever, and on that account is a valu- 

 able source of food for mankind. 



(541.) Cottagers have but to dig the ground, plant the 



